


Seven Day Reunion

by skymirchant



Category: Metal Gear
Genre: M/M, Old Friends, Reunion, venom being wreckless and kaz getting frustrated by it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-10-23 21:54:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17691791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skymirchant/pseuds/skymirchant
Summary: Kaz has resigned himself to a quiet, uneventful life in the Alaskan wilderness. Bored, alone, and passing the time- he's visited by an old comrade he didn't think he'd see again.The week spent catching up proves to be a welcome distraction from nothing.





	1. Day One

• It must have been at least a year since he moved out into nowhere. No people, barely anything in half a day's walk- and it's just what he wanted. Peace. Quiet. A place to focus on what made him happy. A place to let his dogs run out in the woods and not worry about them getting scooped up by the pound. A place of freedom. 

The last thing Miller wanted was contact with people. As much as he felt lonely, his recent divorce had soured his opinion of fellow humans. Enough that his only socialization was going to the grocery. A two and a half hour snowmobile ride, so he tried to go as little as possible. He had a greenhouse for carrots and spices- used a rifle to get food, and learned the art of preparing a carcass from the local inuit, though despite his fascination with their art, history and culture- he still didn't have much in the way of friendships.   
He busied his time with using his home gym or, during the night, he would occasionally watch the Aurora Borealis. He’d even taken to painting them every now and then, when it was a particularly clear night. 

He rarely kept track of the days- let alone the weeks.   
His retirement was a mix between absolutely boring and equally fulfilling. His solitude gave plenty of time to think over everything. The ache in his limbs gradually faded- slowly, though it never went away entirely. Cold nights still left him in a sweat, his right hand throbbing, fingers aching dull lightning strikes of pain.   
He’d taken up the offer of a prosthesis. It was red, like his. 

During the lonely hours of the morning- when his eyes had just opened, the sunrise still far away… sometimes he would see that red arm, on the dresser by his bed, laid out, palm upwards, and think of those hours he spent with him, looking at his old, beaten up, sand-worn prosthetic, placed the same way- but far less meticulous. Far less careful.   
He spent a lot of nights thinking about his old comrade. He’d left the Diamond Dogs due to a one night stand accidentally landing him with a child to care for- though the subsequent marriage lasted no more than a few years- when it became obvious that the child wasn't his. The relationship, built on nothing but a paternal necessity- had little to hold it up after that.   
He still spoke with his daughter, of course. She'd always be his daughter. She’d unfortunately found out about the true nature of her lineage. Kazuhira wished she hadn't. Not because it broke the relationship with his ex-wife apart, but because she was still so young. 

The genetics weren't there, but she had the same determination to find her father that he’d harboured so many years ago. Part of him was proud. He tried to call at least once a month to check up on her. Other than listening to that ray of sunshine for an hour at a time, the solitary life consumed the rest of him.•

 

•He was so caught up in this routine that the sound of knocking nearly made him jump out of his skin. He grabbed his handgun, wary. He hadn't heard a snowmobile, and the only things within miles were bears and wolves- both of which didn't know how to knock. So, in case of disaster, he holds it, finger not yet on the trigger.   
Kazuhira slowly cracks the door open, then swings it entirely, holding his pistol up at… the… intruder…   
He almost let the gun slip.   
“... Venom?” His voice was choked up, seeing that face- that old, familiar expression- his brown hair now lightly peppered with silver- the eyepatch and the shrapnel- standing there, knee deep in snow. His half smile, that nostalgic smirk, forced there by paralysis more than snide personality.  
It made his chest ache; seeing his old comrade- his old… something else. Kaz slowly put his gun down, eyes wide behind the aviators. They did nothing to hide his expression, this time, his slightly slacked jaw and upraised eyebrows did all the talking for him.  
But how? No one had his location- not even his ex wife. No living soul was supposed to have the coordinates. But what was to be expected from a legendary soldier?   
Miller looked over the frosted facial hairs and shrapnel, almost amazed at the fact that Venom had stopped to say hello. After years…  
After another nine. Of almost no contact.   
“You…” He stepped back, “did you even bring a snow mobile? It’s almost a day's walk on foot from the nearest town! This isn't Afghanistan- You could have frozen your skin off- especially with the shrapnel!” He huffed angrily, grabbing Venom’s hand and tugging him inside. The snow-covered man made no attempt to resist.   
Venom was sat on a couch, backpack resting on the floor, a blanket wrapped around him and cocoa in hand within five minutes. •

 

Damn it, Venom hadn’t changed one bit. He still held the presence of a grizzly bear- and grizzly was a good description. He looked a little more cleaned up- perhaps it was a lack of running around shirtless in deserts and jungles- though it’d be a surprise to see Venom abandon the habit entirely. His treck out to the cabin was enough confirmation of the ongoing lifestyle. He was always one to push it- his limits- his survival- his tolerance. Kazuhira admired him for it. Even though he wasn't the Big Boss from msf- he held more respect for the phantom than he did for the real thing. The phantom held the pain. The loss- and he did lose it all. His life, his career, his identity- stripped away and made into something unrecognizable.  
Miller hated Big Boss. But no part of him could truly deny that he was a handsome son of a bitch. Meaning the same for his other half. Perhaps more for Venom. Kaz did always appreciate a man who took care of himself- something The Original… never quite figured out how to do. You’d think he would learn how to use a bar of soap, and not be a god damn biohazard. The man tended to border on feral- in a bad way.

 

•For his intimidating presence, Kazuhira knew him too well to see a monster or a demon- like some. He never truly fit that mold. Not when you knew him. When you knew him intimately. Half of the memories might belong to someone else, but the recent half was theirs and theirs alone. The night terrors, the silent exchanges of looks. The creak of a bunk as Venom quietly arrived to calm Kazuhira’s frantic hyperventilation- the countless hours spent just being close. To remind them both that someone was there. That it was okay to trust. Even if that meant trusting in the lies. In the unsure promises.   
But Venom never did let Kazuhira down. Frustrated him- yes. Enraged him- at times. But Venom always had a cool temper when it came to things Kaz got heated over. Despite the frustrated curses and hushed swearing, Kazuhira learned to trust his judgement.   
“An Honor and a Privilege.”   
He meant that- and he still did. He wanted to be mad that Venom had stopped by without warning, but the calming aura had chilled his rage to a small simmer. Now he was just glad the shrapnel showed no sign of frostbite.  
“So… why?” Kazuhira’s people skills were severely lacking. The time spent away from everyone- falling off the face of the earth- and his preference for silence in general had meant he spent scarce time really speaking.  
“I wanted to check up on an old comrade.”   
“Venom- it’s been at least three years.”   
“That changes nothing.”   
“It-...”   
That was true. Miller did feel as if nothing had happened between them since they last saw each other. He had no idea what Venom knew. He wasn't sure he cared to explain it all.   
But the silence was comfortable. It felt secure.   
Just the two of them- the snow piling- blanketing the ground, and honing the soft silence.   
“You walked the whole way?”   
“I had a gps.”   
Christ.

The sun was already on it’s way below the horizon, the winter months meaning a lot of darkness. Miller stood, grabbing his crutch. He still had a limp- prosthetics weren't magic. He opened a window, leaning out into the cold air. He placed his finger and thumb in his mouth. The sharp whistle reverberated over the snow, and soon, the sound of his dogs bounding and barking could be heard. His three huskies came barrelling through the soft snowfall. They had their own dog door. Poorly insulated, but, it let them come and go as they pleased. He tried to have them nearby before nightfall, but part of him didn't want to train the wolf out of these dogs. Nostalgia, probably.•

 

•Once he knew the huskies would be alright for the freezing hours of night, he went to set up some sort of arrangement for sleeping. The dogs had their own mattress- he himself had his bed- but other than that, there was the couch. Kazuhira prided himself in being too hospitable to even make the suggestion that Venom rest anywhere but a bed. Besides, he’d gotten used to sleeping on the sofa in the years prior.   
“You can sleep in my bed, I’ll stay on the couch.” He said, which seemed to trigger a confused look from Venom.  
“-Is your bed small?”   
“What? No, it’s king size…”   
“Then why sleep on the couch?”  
Oh.  
“I meant-... alright.”   
Of course Venom wouldn't see that as weird. He made a habit of sleeping in the same cot after Kazuhira lost his arm and leg. His night terrors had caught Venom’s attention, who opted to sit on the edge of Miller’s bed, providing whatever comfort he could. Gradually, that went to laying down, and eventually, holding Kaz until his breathing calmed, even if he didn't sleep, himself. 

The time apart meant nothing to Venom, and it threw Kazuhira off. It was natural for V.   
Not for Kaz.  
He hadn't seen the other in so many years, and yet, he was just as afraid of losing him as he was when they’d shared every part of their lives- seeing each other everyday.   
Part of him was more willing to burn the bridge himself than wait for the match to hit gasoline. Because then it would be a choice he made. He’d have some fleeting sense of control. Like it was his decision, as if it would have been something he’d considered in his wildest dreams- pushing Venom away. 

Sometimes lies were easier. Because who wants to know the truth anyway?   
Who wants to search for it when it always hurts to find?   
Kazuhira's gaze met the shrapnel- the tired look, the patch over his eye… and he felt disgusted with himself; for lamenting over lies and abandonment when it was so obvious that Venom had been through worse  
His identity had been abandoned- forced away from him- any sense of ego ripped effortlessly in half. His arm, his eye, his time, and his mind- gone.  
All of this and yet Venom still took the time to make sure Miller was okay. 

“Come on,” he gestured for Venom to follow, leading him to the master bedroom. Miller opened the door and held it, waiting for his guest to follow. “Make yourself at home,” he grabbed Snake's bag from him and set it next to the dresser.   
The bed was much larger than the old cots they’d once shared- more comfortable and welcoming, not that it made much difference to either of them.   
Kaz went off to the bathroom to prepare for bed- to see Venom had followed close behind.   
Miller looked in the mirror, himself, and Venom behind him.   
“Look at us,” Kaz mused, “two old men…”   
“Your hair. It’s long.”  
“You cut yours.”   
“I hated brushing it.”   
Kazuhira grabbed some of his pills and took them, dry swallowing them. He needed them to sleep. If he didn't, he’d wake up in the middle of the night, sweating, shaking… and he wouldn't make Venom deal with that. Not after all those years.   
Kaz brushed his teeth and shuffled out of the bathroom, allowing Venom to use it.   
He sat on the side of his bed, removing his prosthetics, leg first, then his arm, taking off the compression socks and massaging the stumps, before just laying back on the bed. He shut off the bedside lamp and took off his aviators, setting them next to it.   
He shut his eyes and waited. The bed creaked as Venom did the same- taking off his own prosthetic, the compression underneath, his eyepatch, and settled down. 

Miller felt the heat of the other man in the bed, and his heart skipped a beat. He felt like a dumb teenager- it was probably the lack of contact. He was touch starved. Terribly so- when he felt Venom’s hand on his shoulder- it was like fireworks going off. He didn't move, just looked over his shoulder. Venom hesitated, but let his hand slide down to Kazuhira's hip, scooting a bit closer, his chest pressed up against his back.   
Miller felt like he was about to combust.. He looked back for a moment. Venom had cuddled up, seeming to doze off effortlessly.   
He closed his eyes and waited for the pills to kick in, allowing himself to indulge in the comfortable warmth that emanated from Venom.•


	2. Day Two

Miller awoke feeling well rested, for the first time in seemingly forever. He rolled over to see a significant absence of man in his bed. He sat up, grabbing his aviators and slipping them onto his face. Maybe that entire thing was just another vivid dream. It wasn’t uncommon for him to dream about Venom like that.   
The distinct sound of his dogs scampering about, growling and yipping denied his suspicion. He went through the process of putting on his leg, then his arm, once attached, he flexed the fingers, making sure it was all in working order. When he walked out of the bedroom, he could see that his guest had done the same- otherwise he would have been in a lot of pain, considering the husky hanging off of his arm by the teeth.   
“Hey.”   
Both the dogs and Venom seemed to stand at attention- a sight he couldn’t help but snort at.   
“You’re up early,” he went to start his usual routine- coffee first- but the pot was already full. “Oh… thanks,” he blinked, turning his back to Venom to reach into the cupboard and grab a mug.   
“Don’t mention it.”  
One of the dogs snapped at the other, before the entire pack ran outside to do whatever it was that they did.   
Miller had taken a sip of the coffee, before jumping a bit in surprise when he felt Venom’s hand on his hip, the man having snuck up behind him.   
Suddenly he was back on motherbase, filling out documents, going to sort and process them- sign some, reject others- and he’d feel Venom’s hands softly grip his hips from behind, followed by a sturdy chest on his back, and the arms travelling forward to wrap around his torso, hugging him.   
Kaz almost spilled the coffee, the sudden strength of the nostalgia knocked the wind out of him.   
“Boss…”  
“Kaz.”  
“Right… you’re not… not anymore. I got caught up in the moment,” he set the mug down on the counter, letting out a soft sigh. He swallowed thickly as he felt the other man get closer.  
“You can’t sneak up on me like that, you’ll give me a heart attack.”   
“Mh,” was Venom’s response, not heeding his words, too busy hugging up behind him.   
“We just did this for ten hours,” Kaz leaned into the other’s touch. If anyone asked, he’d say it was the warmth that drove him, but anyone would know that was a lie. 

“You smell the same,” Venom’s voice rumbled, and Kazuhira let out a small laugh.   
“You don’t smell like you’ve been running around a desert shirtless.”   
“Because I haven’t been.”   
No shit. 

“So what have you been doing?” Kaz picked up his mug and took a sip of the warm drink. He had heating, but it was still colder than normal in his house. The warm drink was welcome.   
“Not a lot,” was Venom’s way of saying ‘there are better things to talk about.’ “You?”  
“...Not a lot.”   
“Hm.”   
Silence. 

“You’re out here all alone,” Venom pulled away, leaning against the counter next to Kazuhira, looking out the window, seeing the dogs wrestling about.   
“Not entirely,” Kazuhira followed his gaze to the dogs prancing about. “I have them. I still see people every now and then, but.... I think I’ve had enough. Being surrounded by people on an oil rig in the sea… I needed some alone time after all that. A kid, too…”   
“How is she?”  
“She’s too much like me when I was her age,” he smiled to himself, mind flittering to the past again. “I just hope she makes less mistakes than I did back then.”  
“You probably did fine.”   
Kaz chuckled, “probably.”   
“So, now-?”  
“Turns out she wasn’t really mine. We talk every now and then, but, she’s at that age. I always had a feeling maybe that was the case. I found out myself when she was four… Ah, sorry, I got carried away…”  
“It’s alright. I miss hearing your voice.”   
Kazuhira really hoped Venom hadn’t looked over to see the blush across his face. 

The rest of the morning was spent with Kaz explaining how things happened, talking about how much he really did miss his daughter- Venom listening intently, offering support every now and then.   
Venom had seen Miller’s daughter, once, shortly after Kazuhira met her for the first time, himself. Venom was always a little weird around children, though, and raising the child was a full time job. Stepping away from the military meant stepping away from that life as well.   
Kazuhira had hoped that maybe- just maybe- the time away, not busying himself, droning out the memories with stacks of paperwork- project after project- just might help him through the night terrors, and the cold sweats. It didn’t. He never talked about it. They never talked about it. All that came of it was frustrated sighs and sleeping on the couch. That was only when his nightmares didn’t result in him scaring his poor daughter.   
He wanted to be a good father. He really, truly did.   
But it didn’t work between him and his ex-wife. Nothing that was truly either of their faults. They both moved, Kaz deciding to head to Alaska, his ex now off in Europe. Kaz couldn’t hate her for lying about who the father was. It was a harsh truth, and it stung like hell, but helping raise that kid was an experience he wouldn’t give for anything.   
Kazuhira talked until his coffee had become lukewarm. His throat hurt a bit- he hadn’t talked that much in forever. To think he used to give speeches and such…   
He looked up from his coffee mug and saw Venom, quietly listening, waiting for him to say more. It felt good to get all of that out- to tell someone- rather than stirring on it, thinking everything over. Someone who already knew most of his story.   
Someone close. Someone he could trust with the truth- the real truth. 

 

Kazuhira let out a long sigh of relief, getting things off his chest felt so nice. He loved his dogs, but, he was only ever talking at them. Not with them. He didn't realize how much he missed human companionship.   
Eventually the conversation lulled to a stop and he finished his lukewarm coffee, putting the mug in the sink and stretching his back out, hearing it pop a few times. It made him feel so old… He must have a few knots in his muscles as well. He’d gotten used to that, though. Sometimes he wondered if his bed was *too* comfortable.   
“Hey, B- Venom?”   
“Hm?”   
“Want me to make you something?” 

Asking was a formality at best. He was already grabbing ingredients to make brunch. Well, it was getting into the afternoon, but, it still counted as lunch. He decided to make breakfast bagels. It had been a long time since he cooked for another person- and he really missed it.   
He’d have to use deer sausage, and some extra spices to accompany the gamey taste. He focused on cooking the sandwiches, placing the bagels on separate plates, and laying it out with a bit of presentation put into it.   
Kazuhira didn't have a real table. He had the coffee table, but otherwise, he didn't exactly entertain big family dinners, so he only ever cooked on his own. Mostly for things like staying alive.   
But, having Venom over gave him a bit of a spark to work his culinary talents again. Kazuhira liked to cook and Venom liked to eat. He was no Gordon Ramsay, but he prided himself on cooking a damn good meal. 

Venom wasted no time packing it away, wolfing it down. He was still much neater than Other Snakes Kazuhira was familiar with, and seemed to genuinely enjoy his cooking. The silence, he took for a compliment.   
Kaz had tried to see Big Boss’ enthusiasm for food as flattery, but after seeing the way he ate… anything, it was hardly a compliment. He would have eaten dirt if he was told it could sustain him. Even then, he’d probably like it. 

Though Miller enjoyed certain aspects of his isolation, he did really miss preparing meals for someone else. Before Diamond Dogs got bigger than 50, every now and then, they would take a weekend to relax on the oil rig. Kaz would devote a good four hours to preparing burgers for everyone. These events usually came about when the mest supply was nearing expiration. To avoid the waste, everyone ate their fill, and with Kaz manning the grill, he could make sure nothing was too awry. It was during one of those cookouts that a soldier had suggested Kaz open some kind of food establishment.   
He wouldn't have been able to work with Big Boss and work in a kitchen at the same time- but… Kazuhira had an eye for business.   
That was what had allowed him such a comfy retirement- his choice in investments and success of the company meant he could send his daughter a heavy birthday card. He didn't have to pay any sort of real child support, since she wasn't his, but he felt doing anything less than making sure she lived comfortably would mean his failure as a guiding figure. 

Kazuhira had become lost in thought, eyes staring off into space behind his shades.   
Venom had attempted to get his attention, but, he seemed zoned out. 

“Kaz,” and suddenly Snake was right there. “Thanks for the food,” he spoke, before pressing an appreciative kiss to the side of Kazuhira’s mouth- almost as if it was a cheek kiss gone a bit sideways. Venom had walked past Kazuhira to put his dishes in the sink, leaving Kaz in the living room, face burning red as he replayed the feeling in his mind. He knew it was weird- and that he shouldn't be flustered by something so simple, but he couldn't help it. 

Venom smirked to himself as he placed his dishes under running water. He knew the effect that had on Kaz without even seeing his face. Venom knew him well- intimately- and he knew how to toy with him. Venom was always careful to never let those abilities sink into manipulation for personal gain. He was aware of himself- of the ways he could go, and how easy it was to be a demon. Kaz was no angel, but the fact that both of them seemed to think the other had a shot at heaven brought hope. 

Kaz finally got over the burning fluster and brought his coffee mug back to put in the sink. “You can't just do that to me. I’ll have a heart attack. I’m old, Venom.”   
“You’ve been through a lot worse than a kiss on the cheek.”   
“-Been through a lot better, too.” Kaz had already laid down the flirty tone before he could stop himself. His hand wandered over Venom's, craving the contact he’d felt before, of his warmth.The hand left him longing for more; for the feeling of Venom's lips on his. It had been years. Years. He found himself leaning towards Venom, and caught himself. He pulled back, taking a step away, to Venom's dismay and disappointment. It was too early- and it had been too long. If he was a younger man- his younger self- then… perhaps. Perhaps. 

At times he thought of the nights (and sometimes days) he was close with Big Boss and wondered- wished, rather, that it’d been with Venom- not him.

**Author's Note:**

> There'll be more to this eventually... hopefully.


End file.
